ChurchScripture readings
- Epistle: The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:18-24
- Gospel: The Reading is from John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30
Today is the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost and we remember
- The Elevation of The Precious & Life-Giving Cross
- The repose of St John Chrysostom
- Commemoration of The Sixth Ecumenical Council
The living in need of our prayers
- Archpriest Ilyan
- Luba
- June
- Kathleen
- Olga
The Departed we Commemorated today
- Peter
- Nikolai
- Grigori
- Ivan
- Eleni
Elevation of the holy Cross
We remember two specific historic events on today, the first being the finding of the Cross upon which Christ was crucified by the Empress Helena at Golgotha during her journeys in Palestine in 327-328 AD.During this journey she built Churches and provided for the poor.
Upon reaching Golgotha she ordered a pagan temple constructed on the site destroyed and when this was done three crosses were discovered. They were placed in turn upon a dying woman and when she was touched by the third she miraculously recovered. Thus was the True Cross identified.
It was held up high for the Faithful to see who sang Kyrie eleison.
The True Cross was captured by the Persians in 614 but recovered thirteen years later, the second historical event remembered on this day.
This Feast is a day of fasting and repentance. The Cross is laid in the center of the church surrounded by flowers and branched of basil. We prostrate ourselves before the feet of Our Lord and pledge our faithfulness to him.
Today are we reminded of Christ's sufferings for our salvation and that following him may seem foolish to the world but it is the path to our gaining reunification with God (Theosis).